Prof The Hon Michael Lavarch AO has been appointed as the President of Community Broadcasting Foundation (CBF).
The former Australian Attorney-General has had a distinguished career since politics, with leadership roles in the legal, education, finance, energy and not-for-profit sectors. Prof Lavarch was appointed following an extensive and independent recruitment process led by Future Leadership and representatives of the Community Broadcasting Foundation and Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA).
Prof Lavarch said:
“Over 5 million Australians engage with content produced by community broadcasters each week.
Community broadcasting is a vital and established part of the Australian media environment – grassroots support, and community volunteers are its backbone. In a time of globalised media and algorithm-driven content, community broadcasters are more important than ever for servicing the needs of our communities with authentic local voices. With the sector working towards its Roadmap 2033 vision, I look forward to working with them to cement a future where community broadcasting is at the heart of every community.”
CBF CEO Jo Curtin and Prof Michael Lavarch
Jo Curtin, the CEO of Community Broadcasting Foundation said:
“Our outgoing President Ian Hamm laid a strong groundwork for us and we thank him for his contributions to community broadcasting.
Community broadcasting is a critical community and cultural asset. Our funding supports a sustainable and thriving long-term future for community broadcasters, strengthening and deepening their impact in hundreds of communities. Professor Lavarch’s experience serving such a diverse range of Australian communities will be a huge asset to our sector. I look forward to working with Michael on our next steps towards Roadmap 2033.”
Outgoing CBF President Ian Hamm
Prof Lavarch will meet with stakeholders ahead of CBF’s next board meeting in November 2025.
CBF is the independent body that distributes funds from the Australian Government’s Community Broadcasting Program. Over $20m is distributed each year to support Australia’s 450+ community broadcasting services. Tens of thousands of Australians volunteer in community broadcasting, while over 5.3 million Australians consume content from the sector weekly.
Images supplied.